LENNOX LOSE IT or LENNOX LEWIS vs. MIKE TYSON…Which one will show up?
By Ron Brashear
Inside Boxing Writer
Photo: TOM CASINO
INSIDE BOXING (6/4/02)- As I gear up to head toward Memphis for the showdown
on
Saturday night, June 8th, between Lennox Lewis (38-2-1, 29KOs) and
"Iron" Mike Tyson (49-3-0, 43 KOs) for their Heavyweight Championship
Fight, I want to take a few minutes and share some pre-fight thoughts with you
because I am really looking forward to this bout. The HYPE is ON!
I would like to share with you why I used the title above:
First, and foremost, I truly believe that Lennox possesses the necessary boxing skills to defeat Mike. However, I am just not convinced that he will do so. Below are my top 3 reasons why, in all likelihood, he WILL NOT:
1. PANIC - It will not shock me if Lewis flat out panics in the heat of battle. Oh yes, he will be drawn into the heat of battle in this fight. Everyone, including his trainer Emanual Steward, has been advising him to be the aggressor. Well, that's fine, if he comes out in the 1st round and that strategy works. What if it doesn't? It will not take long for Mike, using his bob and weaving style, to get inside on Lennox and land solid body shots. Once Lennox feels the wrath of that 1st blow, I believe we will see the old 10-speed bicycle come out and witness Lennox in retreat. This will play right into the hands (or should I say fist) of Mike Tyson.
2. CHIN - I have witnessed two fighters, Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman starch Lennox with one punch were he could not get back to his feet in time to beat the 10 count, thus resulting in stoppages. Granted, they were both pretty good right hands. However, I seriously doubt that they were punches that mirror the strength of a Mike Tyson right hand. If Mike connects with a solid right, I believe the referee will be wasting his time by even counting.
On the other hand, Mike has proven that he has a pretty solid chin and it will take some flurry of combinations to knock him off his feet. Not sure, per #1, that this fight will be an exchange where Lewis will be throwing flurries of combinations. More like a jab or two, let me try to hold on and frustrate Mike…
3. HEART - I'm also not convinced that Lennox has the heart to withstand punishment and plant his feet to stand in there and exchange punches with Mike. He didn't have the courage to do so against Holyfield or Tua. Its just that these two fighter's styles were to be counter punchers and not aggressors, which allowed Lennox to retreat and keep them at bay with the long jabs as he coasted to victory by out pointing them.
So, regardless how you may feel about Mike Tyson's antics of late, I caution you not to lose site of the fact that this man has some very devastating punching power and can intimidate a fighter like Lewis, into beating himself.
You have just gone insideBOXING.com.
Ron Brashear can be contacted at ron@brasheargear.com